A Life that never was
by twilightscrystalshadow
Summary: Summery: When Lee looses his MOST Important person he snaps when he wakes Lee finds himself in a situation he never imagined happening, in a time and place he never was. Life just got a lot more interesting. R and R please!
1. Chapter 1

A Life that Never Was.

Summory: When Lee looses his MOST Important person, something unexpected breaks loose and the imposible happenes. Lee finds himself in a situation he never imagened happening, in a time and place he never was. Thing is does Lee realy mind? What happens now? How will it change the world he knew?

Disclamer Naruto is not mine.

Implied Yaoi, and yaoi in latter chapters. If you don't like you don't have to read.

Lee/Gaara some hints of Gai/Kakashi later.

Chapter 1 Then all is lost.

Rock Lee; bushy browed, taijutsu specialist, spandex clad, youthful, good natured, Green Beast, and Lotus of the Hidden Leaf Village was mad. No, mad failed to cover it, seething in absolute and utter hatred might more accurately describe the feeling that was nestled firmly in his chest. The fact that this feeling could was shocking enough, that it existed in an individual who's very definition seemed to be the polar opposite of it was nearly beyond comprehension.

Lee's normally large, open, kind eyes were narrowed into slivers from, which shot forth a gaze of pure malice as he looked towards the cause of his furry. There clad in the garb of their village stood ten Sound-nin all flashing the sign of their village for any with eyes to see. None of them seemed the least worried about the Leaf-nin that had survived their little trap. Their main, and as they thought, most dangerous target lay rapidly bleeding to death on the unforgiving stone floor of the cave. They seemed almost amused at the ease of which their mission was going, not that they realized the size of their mistake in assuming which was the more dangerous of the two Nin who they had entrapped.

Lee shoved their presence to the back of his awareness and the bitter hatred and rage he felt welling in his chest as he scooped his most precious person into his arms, gently cradling the one he loved as he watched helplessly as they slipped away from him.

Tears streamed down the Leaf-nin's face as he muttered soothing words and did his best to make his love comfortable. For a while nothing besides the one in his arms existed; not the other Nin in the cave, not the pain in his own body, not the cavern itself, not even the idea that with his concentration elsewhere he was an easy target, nothing. Lee clung to his lover's body holding it close to him feeling as the last breath rattled it's way free of his loved one's chest. Sobbing brokenly he brushed aside his loved ones hair to kiss tenderly the mark of 'Ai' that adorned his beloved's brow.

Gently, tenderly Rock Lee lay the body of his beloved onto the floor, shedding his jonin vest to pillow his lover's head. Seeing that his lover looked at peace and comfortable, Lee straitened. Tears still wetting his face Lee lifted his chin to see those Nin responsible for this. They hadn't moved they seemed to be laughing at the strange sight, a man with no-brows and a man with an excess of brows as lovers. They laughed they looked at him and saw nothing that could compare in their eyes to the dangerous Gaara of the Sand who now lay dead.

Lee felt something with in him snap, the rage he had felt earlier seemed to be a mere shadow of the feeling now flowing through him. It no longer mattered what they said; their words became meaningless sounds to his ears. The taijutsu masters' eyes narrowed once more as one thought echoed and reverberated in his mind and one thought alone. _'They Killed Gaara!'_

A voice rang in the cavern, causing the meaningless noise the Sound-nin were making to stop; it took Lee a long moment to realize it was his voice that sounded in his ears. "You killed him. You killed Gaara." The voice whispered cold and calm as it stated the truth. "You killed him, you took him away from me. He was my joy. My love. My life..." The voice trailed off for a moment as Lee found his hand drawing his hold out kunai from his infamous orange leg warmers, before the voice returned. This time it was cold, colder than ice and darker than the bowls of the abyss. "When I'm done, hell will seem like heaven to you." The voice promised, and in that moment the Sound-nin realized that their assumptions of the danger around them had been fatally flawed.

They found out soon enough that when the Beautiful Green Beast of Kohona made a promise, he kept it. As they fell some with ninjutsu on their lips, others as they were chased down before they even had a chance to escape the main room of the cavern; they all felt the truth of the Leaf-nin's dark promise.

Sagging Lee made his way towards his lover's body, remarkably it remained undisturbed through the brutally violent end of the Hidden Sound Shinobi. The dark rage slowly pushed into the background being replaced by grief just as deep and profound as the emotion in replaced in the taijutsu master's soul. Lee looked on in dumb shock as he watched his hands move in the signs. Blankly he wondered why his hands even bothered since genjustu and ninjutsu were always beyond him. This time he felt something happening, his emotions his grief, his anger, his pain, everything seemed to be draining away into these signs. Part of him welcomed this numbness and continued on ignoring the small part of his brain that was protesting this action. The small part of Lee's mind that told him this was wrong, that it was dangerous, that this should not be, that this could not be, that he should run and never come back to this place. Perhaps that small part of him was right, and perhaps he should have listened to it, but he refused to knowing that even if nothing came of this, if these signs were just random movements of his hands, and even if the numbness he felt would be soon replaced by his emotions again he wouldn't stop. Because for this moment at least Rock Lee felt numb and this lack of feeling was much preferred to the agony that it had replaced.

When darkness began creeping in on his vision, Lee pushed his hands to move faster, wishing to bring the soothing oblivion unto himself all the faster. As his vision and his mind sunk into reliving darkness, Lee felt an out-surge of power as the last hand sign was completed.

And blissfully Lee knew and felt no more.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: An Unexpected Place.

Pain... Pain was not a new experience for Rock Lee, by a far stretch. Pain and Lee knew each other well, like lovers that rarely separated ways for any prolonged length of time. Though the taijutsuist was often glad to be rid of Pain; Pain always found a way to come rushing back into his life. So it came as little surprise as that Pain was there to welcome him back even before he could pry his eyes open. Though part of Lee's mind absently noticed that Pain while quiet present was dulled by something a warm fuzzy feeling he had come to associate with copious amounts of painkillers.

This, unlike the pain, did surprise Lee a bit. Hauling his eyes open in a Herculean effort of will Rock Lee saw tan. Perplexed by this beige discovery he blinked a few times yet this color did not change or shift. Lee frowned slightly; he couldn't place quite why but this shade of earth seemed familiar some how. Moving his eyes Lee noted that it was a ceiling that he had been awakened to and on further exploration walls were attached to it, surprisingly enough.

Once Lee's hazy mind had exhausted the limits of the ceiling's interest, it languidly moved to the walls. And to an annoying repetitive sound that kept reoccurring with frustrating regularity. With a massive effort, that sent the walls and ceiling dancing into different positions and angles for a dizzying minuet, Lee turned his head so that his eyes could examine the cause of the noise.

It was a box! No, Lee's fuzzy mind protested, it was something more. A noisy box? No that wasn't quite it iether. An annoying, noisy box... His mind suggested closer but still his mind refused that definition of the thing. A frequently beeping, anoying, noisy box? No. A frequent, rhythmically beeping, annoying, noisy box? Still not it. Frowning a name came forward from the muddled recesses of his mind, 'machine'. A machine? Yes, and somehow no. A beeping machine... A rhythmic beeping machine... Oh, a heart machine... Well, yes. That wasn't quite the right way to put it but his mind was getting fed up with trying to puzzle it out so a 'heart machine' it was.

Lee looked at the heart machine; it meant something... well other than the obvious. Heart machines belonged some where, he knew. He'd seen them often, far too often for his taste, but where. Beige! Lee blinked as his mind slowly made four of two and two. Heart machines and beige equal's hospital, no, beige and heart machines equal Suna hospital. If Lee could have summoned up the strength or the muscle coordination to nod in approval he would have. Yes, he had solved the puzzle, his lips turning into a slightly foolish grin. He was in a Suna hospital... Why was he in a Suna hospital? Pain. Letting out a deep breath, even Lee's addled brain matter could figure out that he'd done something to hurt himself, again, and that was why he was here.

What had he done this time? Frowning once again Lee turned his painkiller infused brain to puzzling it out. Nothing. Frowning deeper he tried again. Nope, still nothing. Sighing Lee decided it was probably better to ask someone else what he'd done this time. Since his brain was not being helpful and supplying answers. Now the question was where to find someone else.

Button! Lee's mind almost yelled in triumph as it remembered how find, or have someone else find him. Lee wondered as that thought crossed his mind exactly how much painkiller he was truly on and if he shouldn't have someone take him off of it; and fast if 'button' was something his mind felt was a satisfactory conclusion to anything. A slight shift of his body and the searing waves of pain that accompanied it through the buzz of painkillers convinced him not to say anything on that subject. Closing his eyes against the explosions of colors, pain, and spinning room; Lee forced his fingers to find the 'button' his mind had been so pleased to remember.

Slowly, after what felt like ages Lee peeked out from under his long lashes to confirm that the universe had indeed stopped spinning at insanely strange angles. Seeing no disorientating rotation Lee opened his eyes more. This time it was not the heart machine that Lee saw, it was section of tan cloth. Slowly Lee's eyes traced the cloth up across a body and to a face. Lee blinked at the face trying to get his eyes to focus on it. When they finally complied, after a few more blinks, he noted that the face was female and that she was smiling at him. Smiling? Lee's mind inquired unbelieving. Studding the face again, it's lips were turned up to make a vague U shape, from past experience that shape was linked with smile. Smile? Lee's mind asked again, doctors and nurses in Suna did not smile... Well not at him anyway, no they looked more exasperated and resigned that happy.

Then as Lee watched the lips that had been up turned started to move, it took him a moment but as the sounds reached his ear his mind began to automatically listen and try to understand.

"I'm glad to see you're awake!" The person said sounding happy, "We were afraid that you wouldn' ever wake up."

"We"? Lee's mind puzzled for a moment but apparently the pain intense as it was had burned away part of the thick haze around his mind. "We" meant the doctors and nurses, his mind figured though it was slightly curious at to how long he had to have been out for them to worry about "wouldn't ever wake up".

He was about to ask that very question when he realized that the man was still talking.

"... so you don't have to worry, those mean people won't be able to get you here. I can't believe anyone could be so heartless as to do something like that to a kid!"

Lee blinked in confusion "mean people", "kid"? From the face Lee had guessed the man's age to be some where around his late teens early twenties, at the oldest his age. What did this man mean by "kid"? Sighing Lee closed his eyes as he tried to force his mind to wrap itself around this new quandary, instead what Lee's mind chose to wrap around was sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

(Disclaimer, I own nothing... well maybe some lint but that doesn't count)

'_thoughts'_

"spoken"

Chapter 3: I'm What?!

Lee's eyes snapped open as he shot up into a sitting position, or at least that is what Lee tried to do. About halfway up Lee's body reminded him quite eloquently of the massive amounts of pain he was in. Lying back down hastily, he noted two things one the pain while strong and persistent was less than it was last he woke, and secondly he could actually think straight.

Closing his eyes again Lee tried to figure out what it was that had shocked him into waking. The nightmare, which had been harsh and fearful enough to yank the Leaf nin from slumber completely, eluded his waking mind. With a frown the taijutsu master noticed something was offThere was no doubt of him being in a Suna hospital room, even his drugged out mind had figured that out, the beige ceiling and walls were something Lee had had plenty of time over the years to become familiar with, every thing looked in proportion and accurate except the size of the bed. Looking down at the mattress he was sitting on it seemed far too large. Lying down as he was, the bed still shouldn't have that much space that went unoccupied.

Lee's stomach churned, this was not reassuring, removing the I.V. needles from his arm Lee began inching his way over to the edge of the bed. Lee purposefully let himself tumble out of it. Instinct, and a lifetime of training, put his feet under him before he even reached the cool tile of the floor. Straightening, Lee's sense of dread was beginning to go into over drive as he noted that he no longer stood as tall as he should. In stead of ending up at his respectable high of 6'. 27", last he measured, Lee found he was now eye level with the bottom of the raised bed, he had just been on. This did little to comfort the confused and injured leaf nin, but Lee pushed onwards hoping to find the cause of all this.

Nerves on edge Lee finally managed to find the standard attached bath to the room and get the door open, it had frustrated the taijutsu specialist to no end that he had to reach up above eye level to grab the door knob. Once inside Lee readied himself first flicking on the light switch, which was wasn't as easily done as said, and waiting for his eyes to a just to the new light before heading towards the sink and after a little effort hauling himself into a sitting position on the basin. Trembling slightly Lee forced his eyes to look into the mirror, having a fearful idea of what he would see when he did look.

Lee's suspicion were proven correct as he looked into the mirror and a three year old, with his bowl cut and large eyebrows, and wide eyes gazed back at him. Luck and reflexes caught him as he fell backwards off his perch. Laying on the floor in silent shock Lee tried to figure out what had happened to him.

'_An illusion?' _his mind suggested, _'Why would any one want to make...' _Lee started but trailed off as a name came to mind, _'Besides Naruto-san! In any case the Hokage has more important things to do and besides he has been, most rightfully, preoccupied since his wife is expecting their first child.'_

Shaking his head Lee reminded himself that his mind was getting off of topic rather quickly. Flipping to his feet Lee began to pace, thinking for him just seemed some how easier when he when he was moving. _'If someone, besides Naruto-san, wanted me trapped in an illusion of being a three year old why would they have put me here instead of my home village? Besides being such a flawed illusion would mean that it would very easily be dispelled, which this has not. So this means one of three things, one I am in a very powerful- yet seriously flawed illusion that I can not get myself out of-, two someone put a illusion on me to make what I observe and those who observe me believe I am a three year old- to what end I have no clue-, or three some how I have indeed have become physically three again –though how and why I know not.'_

Lee smiled slightly as the part of his mind wandered and started to imagine the looks on his friends' faces as they lost matches to a three-year-old. Chiding himself for letting his mind wonder, again, Lee decided that running 20 laps around Suna would help clear remedy that and help him to focus. Besides Lee could still feel the pain his body was in and knew it was still recovering, from what ever it was he did this time, so a tenth of his normal routine seemed more than reasonable until he was certain that he wouldn't accidentally put himself back in here. With a determined nod Lee headed towards the window, Lee didn't doubt that the doctors and/or nurses would exactly let him, three-year-old appearance or not, just walk out of the hospital front doors.

Flipping off the bathroom light, Lee waited for his eyes to readjust to the dim light before pushing a chair over to the window, and after a small battle with the curtains, began looking through it. It was dark out side, the buildings near by blocked out most his view of the sky, but he could still see the waxing moon on it's nightly path. Looking down, Lee found himself grinning, someone had made a big mistake and put him on the first floor. Carefully Lee checked the window for traps or alarms; Lee grimaced as he remembered that the doctors had made it a habit to put alarms on the possible exits to his rooms.

'_All because I wanted to get out and enjoy the glories of a bright and youthful day now and then.' _Lee pouted inwardly as he continued to check. Finding none, Lee wasted no time in opening the window and was preparing to jump out of it when a frigid blast of air came in through it causing the miniaturized shinobi to shiver. Looking down it didn't take Lee long to realize why the air had felt so chill. Slipping away from the now open window the blushing three-year-old hurried to get out of sight.

'_... that could have been most embarrassing. If someone had seen me in nothing but a few bandages and my skin...'_ Lee didn't even bother to finish that thought as he turned a healthy shade of red, healthy if one was a tomato in any case. Lee hurried over to the bed, which he had tumbled out of, quietly chiding himself for not realizing his state of dress, or more accurately undress, and was silently adding extra laps around the city in punishment.

Reaching up Lee managed to get a hold of a sheet and after a hefty tug managed to get the cloth to come down to his level. Sending silent profuse apologies for what he was about to do Lee ripped the sheet in half, in as quiet a manner as possible. Taking half the sheet and a large amount of quiet attempts at getting the cloth to stay Lee managed to pull together something that, while it was not going to win any awards on it's looks, would at least cover well enough to be decent. Lee was silently proud of this small accomplishment even if he had needed to steal the plastic tubing from one of the I.V.'s to make a belt so it wouldn't fly open. Folding up the second half of the sheet Lee half debated leaving it behind, but thought the better of it and after some struggle managed to make a sort of cape out of it. Fingering the 'cape' Lee absently debated taking the thing off and trying again at getting it to look right, but footsteps in the hall caused Lee to put that idea away.

Scurrying to the window, Lee climbed into the sill, edging backwards so that he was balanced on the very edge Lee slowly lowered the window back shut before dropping off the ledge and landing silently on the ground. Lee basked in the non-antiseptic smelling air for a moment before straightening from his crouching position, wincing slightly. Pausing and re-evaluating the pain Lee came to the conclusion that it wasn't so bad that he needed to go back or be anywhere near a hospital, so the miniaturized Leaf nin began to head out to the city wall to start his laps hoping his escape would go unnoticed for a while yet.

Much to the taijutsu expert's surprise his feet were not leading him in the right direction. Frowning Lee tried to figure out why he was heading this way. Then he felt it, it wasn't something Lee could justify or explain even to himself, but Lee knew that someone needed him and they were over in the direction his feet had been leading him. Never one to turn away from helping someone Lee set off as quickly as he could to find who ever it was that was calling out to him, in need.


	4. Chapter 4

(Disclaimer I regret to inform you, I don't own Naruto or the characters there in.

Note thank you for the reviews!!!

I'm trying to get this story going but I keep revising it before I ever get the thing up... I'm not so sure what to classify this story as, I'm trying to keep it fairly in character but damn it's hard. So many possibilities for this to get seriously twisted, and knowing me it might just end up like that anyway. This is still going to remain rated M for later chapters... that and I tend to get a little over enthusiastic with the blood 'n' guts some times.

Please review! Thanks!

'_Thoughts'_

"Out loud"

Chapter 4: Are you? A-an a...

A.k.a. You think I'm a...

Teal eyes watched in shock as the boy sat, clinging to his stuffed bear, in mute witness to what was happening. This was different, of all nights this one this one was special.

He had known that 'They' were coming, again, and he knew nothing he could do would break the pattern of what was becoming a nightly routine. As always he'd wondered how bad what he did was that they kept coming for him, night after night. He'd tried to be good, he really had. He'd tried to apologize but no one would listen to him. Drawing his knees to his chest, he wished 'They' would go away or that someone would stop them! Or keep more of 'Them' from coming for him again. Shaking slightly he had watched as They landed on the far end of the roof that he was sitting on.

Then it happened, unlike all the other nights his silent pleas were answered. As 'They' had closed and the first kunai had flashed in the moonlight on it's way towards him it was stopped. He'd watched in silent awe as his mind realized someone had caught the blade before even the sand could react.

Gaara couldn't help it he had sat transfixed by the sight of the small form garbed in ivory cloth standing protectively in front of him. A large section of cloth fluttered to the ground as the figure tossed away the cloak it had been wrapped in; both Gaara and his attackers seemed to be entranced by the small form that now fully visible in the moonlight. The moonlight seemed to cause the milky cloth of the boy's garments to glow in the pallid light, from the strange outfit of pale cloth and lengths of bandages that covered the most of the boy's body.

"Leave him alone," the young rescuer practically growled as he moved between the attackers and their intended victim. "Any who try and harm him will answer to me."

Teal eyes blinked in shock, though the voice was low, ragged, cold, and seemed incredibly out of place on such a small figure, Gaara was positive he'd never heard a voice half so beautiful before in his life. Gaara soaked in that moment etching it deeply into his mind enjoying this new feeling the bizarre boy's words caused and trying to make the moment stretch as long as it could.

But it seemed that 'They' had other ideas on the matter. A tall muscular one of 'Them' began to laugh at the strangely garbed boy's words. Laughing the man sped forward the gleam of a sword flashing for a heartbeat in the moonlight before he brought it directly down on the boy's head.

Gaara's eyes widened as he gasped in shock at the sight, but his eyes only increased further when the blade went through the boy with not a drop of blood.

The Laughing one stopped his laughter his own eyes going large themselves in surprise as the boy, he'd attacked and had his blade halfway through, slowly faded out. Straightening and spinning around he saw that the boy he was aiming for had been behind him. Even as the look of puzzlement began to cross the attacker's face the pale boy darted forward, the kunai that the child had claimed from the air now was clenched in a small fist.

The first of those who had set their sights on killing Sabuko no Gaara fell to the rooftop, dead before he even truly had a chance to realize what was going on. In many ways the 'Laughing Man' was fortunate, as his death was so fast that it had been virtually painless, the others who were with him on their mission were not so equally blessed.

Silence settled over 'Them' in a thick haze that was partially one of shear and utter disbelief. 'They' could not seem to comprehend that death could have suddenly appeared among them in such a diminutive and innocent looking bundle.

The boy, in turn, seemed completely unfazed by what he'd just done. Turning to face Gaara, the boy seemed to completely ignore the others who had been plotting to attack, "Look away, please, I do not think it is wise for you to watch."

Gaara found gawking as his eyes trying to drink up the sight. The boy's slightly messy black hair some how seemed to still find enough light to shine brightly in the night, though the blade held casually in the boy's hand was stained with blood not a drop was visible on his garments, and those hauntingly dark eyes framed by thick lashes which only served to captivate the young native of the village hidden in the Sand.

The boy sighed slightly noticing the awe in the Gaara's gaze, his large dark eyes slightly lidded and painfully downcast, "I ask that you close your eyes and do not look, for no child should need see battle while so young."

Gaara knew any question he had wouldn't be answered right now. He wanted to know what it was about this outsider that made him feel at ease. It took him a moment but Gaara figured out what it was that was so different about the mysterious boy. It was his eyes they held deep kindness, an equally deep sorrow, and yet those ebony orbs seemed only to hold light, there were no signs of hatred, fear, or disgust in them. Obeying the stranger, Gaara closed his eyes as he clung to his teddy bear with all his strength. Moments passed thumps and the sound of running feet reached Gaara's ears, but no screams nor sounds of death reached him as he sat eyes closed trusting this fearless stranger.

When a strong hand gripped his wrist, Gaara's eyes snapped open and he found himself face to face with his rescuer. Gaara was alarmed for a half second that the sand might hurt the other boy, but when the sand remained motionless the alarm was replaced by curiosity.

"I think we would best head out now, " the other child said grinning slightly. "Let us go some place else."

Gaara nodded weakly as he his mind tried to find an explanation for what had just happened. The only conclusion his mind could seem to find was surprising even to him. _Angel,_ Gaara thought quietly as he gaped at the hand that was touching him and leading him off. _An Angel! He protected me; the sand doesn't think it needs to protect me –from him anyway-, and he __**Smiled**__ at-at __**Me**_Gaara's mind buzzed with that last bit. No one had done that before, not at him anyway. Dark rimmed eyes looked up from the bandaged hand to stare at the soft rounded face, _He must be an angel, he's gotta be. There's no other reason why anyone would be so kind t to me._

Gaara's 'Angel' turned seeming to notice that Gaara was watching him. The Angel looked at him confused tilting his head slightly for a moment before smiling again at him. Gaara timidly grinned back, which only merited a warmer larger grin from the small tenshi leading him.

End Chapter

Authors Notes

Ages of characters

Lee 3 (was 28)

Gaara 3

More familiar faces will be added as time goes on. (And before you ask this happens before Yashimaru, forgive me if I spelt it wrong, became Gaara's guardian. Hence no smiles before at Gaara.)


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Beddy bye for Gaara-kun

Or

One tail before bed.

1234 = time skip to the past.

Insert disclaimer here

Lee sighed heavily as he rested his head against the cooler surface of the wall as he continued to watch the small figure in his lap. Try as he might Lee couldn't force his mind away from one word, more accurately that name.

_i'Gaara,'_ /ithe leaf shinobi's mind intoned once more. Lee's mind couldn't fathom how or why this was anymore than he understood why he was looking like a four year old himself, but every instinct he possessed told him that this was the same boy, His Gaara…

1234

"Tenshi?" a voice called out somewhat hesitantly as it's owner tugged timidly on, what had been a hospital bed-sheet turn the shrunken shinobi's garment.

Lee paused, more because of confusion than of the tugging, and turned to look at the little one he had recently rescued. Smiling gently down at the child, he hid the sudden flare of anger he felt aimed at those who had attacked an innocent! Then sudden realization dawned on the Leaf jounin.

"Nani?!" Lee squeaked in shock, winced at, and blushed profusely over all at the same time. Which ended up seeming more innocent and sweet than the confusion that ran rampant in the shinobi's mind.

"Gaara," the little boy said pointing to himself, his teal eyes large and curious as he looked up most adorably at his rescuer.

It took a solid three seconds for Lee's poor startled mind to realize that the tyke had just introduced himself and that it is only polite to respond. While Lee's lips and voice went on autopilot and titled himself "Lee" to the child; Rock Lee's mind was still reeling at anyone equating him with an angel and further more to the name the child called himself.

1234

Lee sighed once more looking at the messy mop of red in his lap. Vaguely Lee recalled playing with the boy until the moon had begun to make it's silvery way down from it's height before escorting the boy home. Surprisingly Lee couldn't recall seeing anyone at all that evening, which caused the minute taijustu master to scowl for a moment before his mind refocused on the child now sleeping peacefully in his lap.

Gaara was alive. That small bit of knowledge was enough to make the exhausted Leaf Nin content and warm. Though the proving of it was something Lee could not help but remember clearly.

1234

Lee snapped to instant wake-fullness from his light doze in the corner of the "Gaara's" room where he could watch both the door as well as the small round window high on the wall that stayed open to invite any nightly breezes that might chance by. Lee peaked out from under his eyelashes keeping his breathing pattern unchanged from his earlier sleeping one; the shinobi sought what had woken him.

The sound came again a whisper of a rustle like some thing slithering across the floor and moving closer. Finding his mouth suddenly dry Lee risked a glance over at his temporary charge to notice the boy was sleeping deeply and it was not, by the scrunched up face, all that comfortably.

Then the boy's eyes opened and Lee felt his stomach drop through the floor and land somewhere in the general area of the sub basement. Those eyes were not human, not in the slightest, Lee had been witness to those eyes before and it took less that a second for the meaning of it to dawn on the surprised shinobi.

Swallowing an excess of saliva, though Lee could have sworn his mouth could not have been drier, the Leaf was already mid action. The three-year-old Saboku no Gaara was pinned to his own bedroom wall by one chibi-fied Green Beast of Kohana before the sand could even react.

Surprise was written all over the child demon's face while steely determination was written on the leaf's. The rustling sand stilled frozen in shock by this unforeseen happening; golden met ebony when their eyes locked.

Growling softly Lee stared unwaveringly into Shukaku's unnatural golden eyes.

"Go back to sleep and leave the boy be, Demon." a voice demanded quietly, one that Lee could scarcely recognize as his own. Half purring it continued, "Or I will make you."

The one tailed demon seemed to be in shock, Lee honestly doubted any living creature had uever/u spoken to it in such a manner. A cruelly amused smirk made it's way across Gaara's face, and in a voice that was calm and millennial too old for the child it came from the One Tailed Beast made it's own inquiries.

"Oh," Shukaku chuckled, "and exactly how are you going to do that?" It inquired pleasantly as though more amused by the idea than anything.

Snarling Lee's reflexes and instincts saved him as he let his right hand drop from Gaara's shirt to scatter the sand with a swift swipe. At the same instant he rotated his form to the right and closer to the currently awake demon physically. Lee let himself smile not one of the gleaming teeth grins that he learned from Gai-sensei, but one filled with the fire a true challenge always evoked. Shoving the demon into the wall Lee spun away giving him distance, his mind wondering what the hell he was doing.

Years of constant training took over as he nimbly, effortlessly dogged the sand's attempts to catch him. This was too easy, his opponent had no skill only force and since the only things in the room were the futon and the two combatants, there was nothing really to brake, make noise, or get in the way.

Lee let the demon try for another minute before striking through the barrier and pinning the young demon to the wall, this time by the through, with careful care not to restrict breathing overly much.

"Something like this." Lee whispered still smiling, as the demon's eyes widened once more in surprise. Lee felt anger bubble up from within him suddenly and with it the desire to kill this demon once and for all. Finding his hand tightening around the demon's neck, Lee with drew his grip hastily while stepping back. Black started to creep into his vision as he fought against what ever it was that was trying to kill the demon and the unfortunate child it lived in.

"…What…are…you?" the golden eyed youth wheezed as it tried to be certain that air could still reach it's lungs.

Lee didn't answer as he forced his face up to meet the demon's own face. His mind and will else where trying to regain mastery over his body and mind. Apparently Shukaku did not need Lee to vocalize an answer as the demon suddenly shivered and backed away when it met the Leaf nin's eyes terror written on it's face.

"As you say," the demon said it's tone cowed and almost groveling before the unnatural golden eyes faded back to teal and flickered shut.

1234

Sighing in frustration, and some small part noticing that sighing seemed to becoming a rather common occurrence for him, Lee desperately wished to know what was going on. _'Why would one of the Tailed Demon be frightened of me? What is going on? Where did that feeling come from?'_ the Leaf shinobi silently pleaded with himself. Getting no answers Lee looked down at the current occupant of his lap and smiled slightly.

His char_ge, __his__ Gaara, was finally getting a night of undisturbed sleep m_ost likely for the first time in his short life.

Reaching over Lee pulled up a sheet and tucked the child in as best he could from his clumsy angle before returning to his resting himself against the wall near the head of the bed. Feeling sleep encroaching on him and muddling already confused tracks in his mind the mini Green Beast managed to whisper three words before sleep finally claimed him as well.

"Good night, Gaara."

-------------

Authors Note.

Sorry this has taken so long,

Thank you very much for your reviews.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Let sleeping Shinobi be

Or

Why Lee-san isn't a morning person

I don't own the characters and I have no money so don't sue.

The sense of chakra that you are unfamiliar with surrounding you, is not the most pleasing way to wake up. Nor is it any more enjoyable after only two hours worth of sleep following a late night, two battles -one with a demon-, not to mention also finding yourself in the guise of a three-year-old, and injured to boot.

Needless to say Lee did not wake up happily or with out jostling the sleeping toddler in the bed with him. From snooze to up on his feet and battle ready in .003 seconds flat, might have had something to do with it. Lee glared kunai at the shinobi surrounding the bed, in so much as they could as it was pushed up against two walls.

The jounin, at least that's what Lee hazarded judging by their level of chakra, were surprised and collectively took a half step back. Though they all had weapons at the ready none seemed overly eager to try anything; for which Lee was slightly thankful as his body was protesting lack of sleep and injuries most loudly.

i_What the hell? Fist it's,/i _Lee did a quick inventory of the room and himself, i_not a bad dream, and I still look like a three-year-old. Some how Gaara IS a three-year-old, I am wounded, and now there are armed shinobi surrounding the bed._/iLee didn't know which he was more tempted to do at the moment scream very unyouthful things at the top of his lungs or cry. So Lee chose the third option, making sure that his three-year-old version of Gaara was alright, not that Lee did not keep a close eye on the jounin surrounding the two of them. Lee's glaring lessened slightly at the sight of the tiny redhead slumbering peaceably enough all things considered.

Gaara's small hands stretched out searching for the form that he had been snuggled securely against, Lee quickly used a teddy bear to calm the sleepily searching hands. Once Lee was fairly certain that the tired child would not be woken by his absence Lee turned to the Sand-nin that were also occupying the room with them.

A small part of Lee's mind reasoned that if he were not so tired and irritable the expressions on these hardened ninjas' faces would have been amusing, as it was Lee's patience for these intruders as running rapidly thin. Lee took his time looking each of them in the eye before pointing imperiously towards the door.

Much to Lee's frustration they did not even budge, but continued to look at him and Gaara warily. Running a bandaged hand down his face Lee struggled against the impulse to scream at them to get out. Rubbing his eyes with this index finger and his thumb Lee reminded himself that yelling would wake Gaara, and that Gaara should get as much undisturbed demon free sleep as he could. Removing his hand from his face Lee decided to hazard this one more time before he went over to the Sand shinobi and through them out of the room bodily.

Using his right hand, Lee first pointed to one of the tan clad jounin, then using the same hand he pointed at the door, and then finished with a slight shooing motion with both hands. Lee suppressed the urge to growl as his attempt at getting them to leave did nothing more than seeming to amuse them. Sighing unhappily Lee took it upon himself to give them a visual cue as anything less that shoving them out the door did not seem to be effective in the least.

The first three were out the door before they or their associates had time to realize that anything was happening. The next two had just noted that the small child had moved slightly from his original position when they too found themselves in the hallway, on top of the other three no less.

The last of the Suna shinobi that had been in the room had finally realized that he was suddenly alone in the room with a sleeping toddler and a very annoyed looking child of the same age, before he too was escorted into the hall. And escorted was not so much as carried and bodily removed from the room by said annoyed toddler, and placed on the heap of other startled ninjas.

Growling quietly to himself Lee wedged the door shut with kunai, one of the those people who disturbed his much needed rest and nearly woke his youthful charge had dropped. Glaring at the door Lee did not even bother trying to stifle a yawn as he made his way back to the bed.

_If they wish civil discussion they should wait till a less unyouthful hour to try and get it._ Lee muttered to himself as he displaced the bear and went back into a blissful state of slumber.


	7. Chapter 7 part 1 of 3

Chapter 7

Morning routines

Though as much as Lee wished it not to be, his sleep was cut short once more. Resisting the urge to growl in frustration as his rest was broken once more, Lee turned to see how his self appointed charge was fairing. Only to find his ward sitting up rubbing sleepily at his eyes and looking towards the doorway, from the other side were the tromping of many feet.

Sitting up, wincing slightly as strains and aggravated wounds made their presence felt. Glaring at the door for a moment before scrubbing his face with his hands trying to get blood flowing to his head to clear it. Lee slowly began stretching to try and relive some of the stiffness and pain from his form, occasionally pausing to glare discontentedly at the door and those he felt behind it.

The sound of small hands clapping and youthful giggles brought Lee out of his own very unyouthful tangent of thought, aimed at less than stealthy Sand shinobi. The diminutive Leaf, turned his head to look at the toddler Gaara, trying to figure out what had caused the amusement. Lee looked at Gaara, who in turn watched Lee, it took Lee a moment to realize he knew why Gaara was laughing and clapping. It was fairly obvious, it was the same reason Gaara seemed to be upside down. Sighing Lee lowered himself back to two hands, and then back down so that both of his feet were supporting his weight, not just his single hand. Lee smiled slightly at the look of awe on Gaara-kun's face, as he finished righting himself.

Well so much for morning exercises as it did not seem likely that his charge one minute, admittedly adorable, Suboku no Gaara would understand and appreciate waiting as Lee limbered up. The youngster might find it a mussing for a short while but would surely want to try to help which might end up causing worse problems.

Looking at the door Lee wondered what the probability of Gaara and himself getting breakfast unmolested by the platoon of lumbering shinobi was. He frowned slightly doubting it would be an easy trip or pleasant in the least. A smile returned to his face as he wondered absently if the individuals from earlier were among those outside.

That smile vanished even as trained instinct told him they were no longer alone in the room, even before the quiet popping sound of reached his ears. Spinning to face the new arrivals Lee shifted slightly to the left keeping himself firmly between Gaara and the unwelcome guests. Glaring Lee watched, ready to send the uninvited individuals out of the room quite quickly if they attempted anything he did not approve of.

There were were only two of them, both of who had familiar looking faces, for very different reasons. The first Lee recognized somewhat surprised was the nurse from the hospital. The second one however was someone Lee was less surprised at but more unsettled by. The man looked much like Kankuro, though that was about the only pleasant reference Lee could put with the face of the former, or was it now current, Kazekage. He was not quite certain yet in his own mind what was going on. Both of the new arrivals were looking at the diminutive form in front of them. It did not take a Hyuuga to tell that underlying their calm faces both were having a hard time adjusting the information they had been told and the reality of the child like figure they found in front of them, and Lee was not exactly thrilled to see them either.


	8. Chapter 7 part 2 of 3

Chapter 7 part 2 of 3

Lee backed up slightly, the last group had come into the room with weapons ready, so the fact that a Kage had entered the room made him wary at best and that suspicion was by default shared with the medical practitioner with him.

The pair looked back at him with an equal amount of distrust, they had doubtlessly been informed about what happened to the last group of shinobi who had entered is room unwelcome and unannounced, how much they believed it to be accurate was the only question.

Gaara on the other hand had no such distrust, as he moved around Lee and bowed to the dark haired man and the blond Med nin. stuffed ursa in his arms seeming to bow as well, from it's position clutched against his chest. Lee watched as the med nin looked at Gaara-kun and knelt to be on a more common level with the three year old. Lee heard Gaara begin to speak but movement from the second 'guest' in the room stole Lee's attention.

The Kazekage was watching him intently, his hands inching out of sight, to what end Lee was unsure but he was also not in a hurry to find out. Shifting his visibly into a guard stance as a warning for the other to watch what they were doing. Lee suppressed the urge to smile as the Kage stopped, and slowly brought his arms forward so they were clearly visible.

Gaara however seemed to have his own thoughts on what was going on. Much to Lee's surprise when Gaara came charging at him, Lee avoided the incoming redheaded child only to catch the same child when he tripped over the leg of his stuffed pet.

"They aren't like _Them_, Tenshi."

Lee looked at Gaara seeing the worry in his eyes, Lee straightened slightly. Cautiously Lee watched the two other figures in the room with them. Inching between these two and his charge, Lee knew it was unreasonable to suspect they would do anything to harm Gaara at the moment but his mind was replaying all the stories he had heard and nearly all of them were unpleasant.

It was the med nin that broke the silence first, smiling pleasantly.

"I'm glad to see you are safe, you gave everyone at the hospital a scare nobody knew where you went. Though I am glad to see that you found someone your own age to play with, but you shouldn't leave like that it causes people to worry." the med nin said calmly as he slowly neared the two.

Lee chewed on his bottom lip, as he took a half step back from the medic. Though the medic had a point, yet Lee strongly doubted that trying to explain things to the people at the hospital would have helped anything. The miniature Leaf nearly jumped out of his skin when two small arms wrapped themselves around his chest. Startled Lee frowned in confusion glancing back at the diminutive redhead, before offering a slightly sheepish grin by way of apology, and returning the embrace such as he could, since he did not doubt that the young one behind him misread his misgivings and was trying to reassure him.

Glancing back both Sand shinobi were frozen in place, surprise evident to any who knew how to look. Lee turned his attention back slowly to the medic and the Kage. Again the Medic knelt coming to be more at an eye level with the more diminutive shinobi. Lee watched the blond man warily, he didn't move back -that would most likely end up with him tripping over his young charge- but he made no effort to greet the blond either.

"Tenshi? Is that your name?" the blond asked his voice soft, making no quick movements as he watched Lee who returned the favor warily.

Lee was about to shake his head and speak to inform the healer that was not the case when Gaara started to giggle from behind him.

"Tenshi isn't his name," Gaara continued to giggle as he moved from behind Lee to stand at his side. "It's what he is." Gaara explained as though this should be obvious to the older man. The toddler continued to grin as he continued, "He's my friend, he plays with me, he's strong, and he keeps bad people away."

Lee grinned, happy that Gaara thought so highly of him after just a short time. Though he again thought that anyone calling him a heavenly being was more than a little far fetched.

"Gaara," a new voice sounded into the room. Lee's spine straightened instantly and his head turned quickly to look at the speaker. It seemed that the current Kazekage, had finally decided to speak up, and Lee had a sinking feeling he would not like what was about to be said. If the tales he had heard from Gaara and his family were to be believed their father was not a kind man nor one inclined to be charitable to his youngest child.

Gaara looked up at his father, teal eyes wide as looked upon his father, Lee could read clearly enough the desperate desire to please and be shown kindness by this man if not the love he should not need ask for, but no such thing was forth coming.

"Did you take him from the hospital Gaara." The words were more of an accusation than a question.

Gaara shook his head, "N-no."

The disbelief in the elders' eyes was clear enough, though the man did not outright claim his child to be lying.

Lee wanted dearly to send yet another Sand shinobi out of the room, this one however he did not simply want to drop outside the door. Lee glared at Gaara's father, in his mind he was calling the man every unyouthful name he had ever heard and creating a few new ones, as he moved to Gaara's side and pulled the boy into a hug. Shaking his head as well denying the Kage's claim, though he did not trust his mouth to say anything other than the unyouthful words that were buzzing in his mind. The offered comfort was one Gaara readily accepted, the shaking of the boy's shoulders as well as the sudden and increasing dampness on his shoulder told Lee more than enough on how deeply even this interaction and denial of affection hurt his charge.

Gently letting Gaara go and moving the youngster safely behind him once more, Lee focused on the man in front of him, a low inarticulate growl escaping his lips and past clenched teeth. Lee shook with the effort to keep himself under control and not harm the Kage standing in front of him.

"That doesn't seem to be the case, Kazekage-sama, and it seems you have upset both of them with that." The medic observed, his tone quiet and even as though trying to sooth both parties.

Lee missed the response, as he was focused on not striking out at the bastard currently leading Suna. The world seemed to be getting narrower and dimmer as he focused on every single shift in his target's body. He could see the slightest sifting of the skin on his neck as his heart pushed blood through his jugular to his brain. _If I time it right it will only take a single strike, and the bastards heart will stop. Not even the medic could restart it if I hit it just between pumps li..._

Lee shook slightly, as he realized exactly what it was he was contemplating, turning away from the two adults Lee focused on holding on to Gaara and burying his face into the child's shoulder as though it would ground him. Lee forced himself to breath deeply as he tried to will his body into stillness and to empty his mind of such unusual and heated thoughts.

_What is wrong with me? He held tightly to his Gaara, trying to steady himself, What was I about to do?! I do not understand what is going on?, I wanted to... No, I am not sure what is happening but I will not, I can not, let myself loose control. Somewhere deep within him Lee was certain that losing control would mean something horrendous would occur. He shuddered he could no more put a name to what his instinct told him than he could mold chakra or explain the why the one tailed demon backed down. _

A light touch on his shoulder caused him to jump, a rather impressive three and a half feet away from the sensation dragging Gaara with him and behind him before his brain realized that the contact was not meant as an attack.

Reorientation himself, Lee looked at the healer with wary confusion, more so when he realized he had completely missed the Kage's exit -something he was sure was for the best-. In response the medic only looked at him with something a kin to pity in his eyes, which caused Lee no small amount of confusion and unease. Pity was not something Lee liked, from anyone let alone strange medical ninja.

"_It's okay," the man soothed, "I'm not going to hurt you, but I need to take a look at your injuries. Is that okay?"_

Lee looked at the healer for a moment, before checking that Gaara was alright after their little surprise jump. Seeing his youthful Gaara was no worse for the sudden jump and seemingly undisturbed by it, he looked back at the Medic. The man seemed to be reading something in Lee's actions and was obviously troubled by what he saw, Lee was left wondering what the man thought he was seeing.


End file.
